Senecio plant named ‘Sunseneslisbu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Senecio  plant named ‘Sunseneslisbu’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with pale blue-colored ray florets and violet blue-colored disc florets; ray florets with acute or deeply incised apices.

Botanical designation: Senecio cruentus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSENESLISBU’.

CROSS REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Senecio Plant Named ‘SUNSENESLILAV’

Applicant: Tomoya Misato

Filed: Concurrently with this application

Title: Senecio Plant Named ‘SUNSENESLIPI’

Applicant: Tomoya Misato

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecioplant, botanically known as Senecio cruentus, and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Sunseneslisbu’.

The new Senecio plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new upright and uniformly moundingSenecio plants with a freely-branching habit and numerous attractiveinflorescences.

The new Senecio plant originated from a cross pollination conducted bythe Inventor in March, 2008 of a proprietary selection of Seneciocruentus identified as code name SNB, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentus identifiedas code name KPS, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newSenecio plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan inFebruary, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceFebruary, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Senecioplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental, conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunseneslisbu’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunseneslisbu’ as a new and distinct Senecioplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with pale blue-colored ray florets        and violet blue-colored disc florets; ray florets with acute or        deeply incised apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio and the female parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent        selection have violet-colored ray florets.    -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio have acute, or        deeply incised apices whereas ray florets of plants of the        female parent selection have acute or praemorse apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have pink-colored ray florets.    -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio have acute or deeply        incised apices whereas ray florets of plants of the male parent        selection have acute or praemorse apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of Senecio cruentus‘Sunseneslilav’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.14/544,304, and Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneslipi’, disclosed in U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 14/544,303. Plants of the new Senecio differprimarily from plants of ‘Sunseneslilav’ and ‘Sunseneslipi’ in rayfloret color.

Plants of the new Senecio can also be compared to plants of Seneciocruentus ‘Sunsenesubu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,461. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Senecio differed from plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio were more compact and more upright        than plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio had smaller and lighter green-        colored leaves than plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’.    -   3. Plants of the new Senecio flowered four weeks earlier than        plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’.    -   4. Plants of the new Senecio had smaller inflorescences than        plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’.    -   5. Plants of the new Senecio and ‘Sunsenesubu’ differed in ray        floret color as plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’ had violet blue-colored        ray florets.    -   6. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio had acute or deeply        incised apices whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Sunsenesubu’        had acute or praemorse apices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Senecio plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Senecio plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunseneslisbu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunseneslisbu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Senecio production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged5° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were six months old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneslisbu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code name SNB, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code name KPS, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounded            plant habit; daisy-type inflorescences positioned above the            foliar plane; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 22.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17.4 cm. Diameter: About            3.4 mm. Internode length:. About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 5.2 cm. Width: About 5.4 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Shallowly dentate; slightly            undulate. Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent.            Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent. Venation pattern:            Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 148C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to N144D. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to 148C; venation, close to 145B. Leaf            petioles: Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescences with narrowly            elliptic- shaped ray florets with acute or deeply incised            apices; inflorescences arising from upper leaf axils and            positioned above the foliar plane; disc and ray florets            developing acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face            upright and outwardly; freely flowering habit with numerous            inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Senecio begin            flowering about 22 weeks after planting; plants flower            continuously from winter to late spring in Japan.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 7.7 mm. Diameter: About            6.2 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to N88B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.8 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.75 cm. Disc diameter: About 12.1 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Length: About 2 cm.            Width: About 7.1 mm. Apex: Acute or deeply incised;            incisions about 5 mm in length. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Aspect: Initially upright, then horizontal and            reflexing with development. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets            per inflorescence: About 13 in a single whorl. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 95B. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 94C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            100B; color does not change with development. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 94D; color does not change with            development.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 6.7 mm. Diameter, at apex: About 1.3 mm.            Number of disc floret per inflorescence: About 150. Color,            immature: Close to N89A. Color, mature: Close to N89B.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 13 in a single            whorl. Length: About 7.5 mm. Width: About 1.7 mm. Shape:            Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper surface: Close to 143A; towards the apex, close            to N77A. Color, lower surface: Close to 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to somewhat outwardly.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to            N89B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 12A.            Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma            shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to N89B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Senecio.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Senecio have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Senecio    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sunseneslisbu’as illustrated and described.